Eleven artists, one continent t is said that this is the African century*. in the bodies of Tingatinga artist Ajaba Abdallah’s set of To celebrate WPP’s 30th Annual Report, we’re mythical birds. Spots that look like beadwork rather than featuring (mostly) contemporary paintings from fur fill out flat shapes in Saidi Chilamboni’s animals. the sub-Saharan African countries of Tanzania, Kenya boasts a thriving contemporary art scene and one Kenya and South Africa. that is gaining recognition internationally. Known as the The 11 artists we’re showing have widely painter’s painter, Richard Kimathi is one of the country’s differing backgrounds; their subjects as varied as the most acclaimed artists. His cat has mask-like facial continent itself. All are inspired by Africa and have their features. Its eyes stare out in a knowing gaze. Kimathi own authentic African voice. Many are collected by trained in graphics before turning to fine art. He was individuals and institutions and, famous in their home commissioned by the UN to design a limited edition stamp countries, are increasingly making a mark on the in 2000 and in 2014 exhibited in London alongside other international stage. East African artists. Africa has unique characteristics that contribute to Working in oil on canvas, Kenyan James Mbuthia’s the power of its art. Its heritage art objects, mastered over paintings have a dream-like quality. He also makes millennia, include highly stylised wood carvings, textiles, sculpture, woodcuts and recycled pieces. He is founder basketry and beadwork. They are some of the world’s most of Art Without Borders Kenya, a workshop that enables inspirational artefacts and artistic points of reference. The artists to bring art to children in need. His work has been vast African landscape informs the work too. Its open skies, extensively exhibited in Kenya, has appeared in many diverse people, rich wildlife and climate provide spectacular books and publications, and is widely collected. texture, light and colour. By contrast, Kenyan artist Wawi Amasha sells her work The motivation to assert individualism regardless of in California. Her fine art crosses over into design work circumstance or background is strong. There’s also an and vice versa. She employs a medley of traditional patterns independent and liberated approach to constructing it. Paint, and colours in her paintings. There’s no room for mixed media and upcycled materials are all applied with style. mechanical perspective in her pieces, which often feature These unique sensibilities produce strident and flamboyant crowds of stylised dancing women. She is inspired by work abundant in meaningful personal statements, rich in African traditions and the continent’s natural way of life. social, political and economic commentary. Kenyan colourist Mary Collis is one of her country’s A glimpse into this powerful combination can be seen leading expressionist artists and an ardent champion of in the animal portraits depicted by the Tingatinga school contemporary African art. Based in Kenya and South Africa, of painters. The movement began with the late Edward she uses colour to depict the energy and beauty of the natural Saidi Tingatinga, who was born in the early 1950s on the world in uplifting and almost transcendental paintings. Tanzania and Mozambique border. In the 1960s, he started Swathes of bright hues capturing the African light make making and selling naïve and surrealistic paintings created up her signature style. Her subjects range from figurative with inexpensive or found materials, such as hardboard landscape to complex abstract. Collis has had numerous and bicycle paint. His subjects, mainly African wildlife one-woman exhibitions in Africa, Europe and the Americas. and savannah, teem with joy and energy. She was co-founder of RaMoMA modern art museum in His legacy continues in the Tingatinga Arts Cooperative Nairobi. Collis’s work is collected all over the world. Society. Its brightly patterned style is now generic and Nairobi-born Peterson Kamwathi is recognised as one practised by generations of artists. Works by the of Kenya’s most inventive conceptual artists. He produces Cooperative’s Saidi Chilamboni, Ajaba Abdallah and the collages of abstract generic figures made from thick layers late Omari Amonde are featured in this Report. The of mixed media on canvas and paper. Much of his work has Tingatinga visual language has even been translated into been in printmaking, where he is a master of the woodcut. an animated children’s TV series originally commissioned There is often political content to his paintings as in his in the UK and made in Nairobi. ‘Kenyan Bulls’ series which convey his views through the Abstract and codified visions of wildlife are a frequent imagery of cattle, the traditional measure of wealth and feature in Tingatinga artworks and beyond. A thick texture status across the country. Kamwathi has been artist-in- resembling a woven basket can be seen representing feathers residence at Kentucky University, Bath Spa University and WPP 244 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 About the artists Eleven artists, one continent the London Print Studio. Beyond the continent, his work James Mbuthia, Kenya has been exhibited in New York, London, Edinburgh, Vienna, Washington and Amsterdam. He sells worldwide. Katharine Ambrose has spent most of her adult life in South Africa. Recognised for her captivating Lowry-like depictions of daily rural and township life, she paints complex scenes melding people and landscape in a blaze of activity. Ambrose employs oil, acrylic and mixed media to create her panoramas busy with communities in their surroundings. She works directly in the field, painting school, rural or village scenes. Her work is collected by many South African institutions. South Africa’s Frank Ross makes his striking 3D artworks using a tapestry of discordant acrylic paint and Who Do I Marry (page 9) mixed media. Densely painted sections are supplemented Acrylic on canvas by emphatic outlines and hammered-on rubber or metal. He started out working in a canning factory and ran his Peterson Kamwathi, Kenya own business before being compelled to make art in middle age. A prolific artist, his paintings show the intensity and toughness of township life. People, buildings, vehicles and landscape coalesce in life-affirming collages. He had a sell-out exhibition in Switzerland in 2009. *United Nations News Centre, 25/09/2013, The Wall Street Journal, 22/05/2012, The Globe and Mail, 24/11/2012. Nchi 1 Barcode (pages 44 and 45) or the past nine years, WPP’s Annual Reports Woodcut print have drawn visual inspiration from different geographical markets important to our clients Richard Kimathi, Kenya Fand our companies. Since 2005, we have looked to artists from India, China, Africa, Brazil, the US, Eastern Europe, the UK, Indonesia and last year, Mexico, for our visual cue. This year we focus again on Africa – “a newly- empowered continent, one full of possibilities and confident of its future,” in the words of WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell – to feature (mostly) contemporary artists from Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa, whose joyous vibrant work is as diverse as the continent itself. Altogether 11 artists’ works are included in the Report. In the past 10 years, the number of people employed by WPP companies across the African Guard Of Honour (pages 166 and 167) continent has increased almost 20-fold to over 28,000 Oil on Canvas people (including associates). WPP ANNUAL REPORT 2014 245 About the artists Eleven artists, one continent Mary Collis, Kenya Wawi Amasha, Kenya Ajaba Abdallah, Tanzania Daily Chores (pages 105 and 106) Acrylics on canvas Birds (pages 112 and 113) New Erica’s Garden (page 15) Mixed media Oil on canvas Edward Saidi Tingatinga, Tanzania Saidi Chilamboni, Tanzania Katharine Ambrose, South Africa Birds Family (pages 86 and 87) Mixed media The Leopard (cover) Mixed media Frank Ross, South Africa Saturday Soccer (page 20) Omari Amonde, Tanzania Acrylic on canvas Fine Art Portfolio Training for Soccer (page 240) Mixed media Bringing In The Fish (pages 180 and 181) Shopping Day (page 158) Mixed media Acrylic on canvas Fine Art Portfolio WPP 246 ANNUAL REPORT 2014.